Newton Mearns, Broom, Sandringham Avenue, Belmont House School

NS 55040 56684 Broom House (original doorway opening). The original building of Broom House, a 19th-century mansion, is seen on the eastern aspect of today’s Belmont House School (Canmore ID: 43829) and shown on the 1st Edition OS map of 1856. By the 1895 OS map the building had been extended to the E. The two periods of building were built to a similar design and specification, the only exception being the size of the window openings. Both buildings are two storeys in height with a basement which probably accommodated servants’ quarters and storage facilities. Attic rooms are evident in the original building. Most of the architecture seen within the building is replicated round the building’s entire footprint.

Steps lead up to the N facing main entrance which has a flat-roofed open portico supported by twin pillars on emblatures. Four tapered columns are topped with Tuscan capitals. The substantial door is timber-panelled with glazed side lights and fan light above with the school motto ‘Strenue sed Aeque’, which translates as “strong but fair”, etched into the glass. The motto was introduced by the School’s founder, Gerald Arnold Montague Dale.

At the NE side corner where the later building butts on to the original building a concrete chimney stack, a much later addition, projects from the walling.

The NE-facing side has a cast-iron balustrade projecting from the building. Between the balustrade and the building, steps lead down to the basement area with a doorway into the basement. A blocked-up stone archway opening is seen to the right running under the ground, possibly a cold store.

The E side of this building has a brick parapet leading to a small entrance opening in the basement area. Canmore (https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1551391) ‘View of Broom House showing front of house with horse-drawn carriage’ reveals that the parapets were originally cast-iron balustrades similar to those on the front elevation and later reconstructed with brick.

On the SE side the original lower windows to the right are now a modern doorway with 11 steps and brick-built modern balustrades leading up to the door. A modern fire escape system has been installed to this side of the building.

The rear W side of the original building with identical features pilasters, mouldings, string course, etc has a symmetrical frontage with two bay windows of differing size in the basement, ground floor and upper floors either side of centrally positioned windows to the ground and first floor. A door opening with smaller windows either side is noted below in the basement area.

The central ground floor window has a pediment above supported by scrolled brackets. This window opening may have been a doorway and steps leading down into a garden area. Stonework below the central ground floor window shows evidence of there having been external steps. A squared moulding is seen above the base course in line with the basement door which may also point to an original door opening being higher and wider than at present and this base stone being added at a later date.

Susan Hunter and Ken Mallard – Association of Certificated Field Archaeologists

(Source: DES Vol 21)

Broomcroft (now 171st Glasgow Scout Hall) – South building NS55172 56724 – N building wall NS55151 56736 Broomcroft was originally a steading on the Broom Estate. Today only the South building with a modern extension to the W is in situ. The South building composed of two joined rectangular buildings measuring 21.4m long x 2.35m high with different stone construction, squared ashlar blocks and random rubble with lime wash. Quoins are seen round the original openings. Modern improvements have been made to some of the N facing wall with new window opening and door openings. Most of the S facing walling and gable end are still original along with tie thatches on both N and S sides of the building.

The E facing wall of the North building is also still in situ complete with one blocked-up doorways, two blocked-up windows, a butt joint with a metal hinge and the return of the building to the NW, this building measured 30.9m with a width of 0.5m and was built of random rubble with lime wash. Both buildings are shown on the 1st and 2nd Edition OS maps and the Broom Estate map of 1898.

To the N, sandstone gateposts are seen at NS 55173 56736 with broached stone work at the entrance into the area which was once the yard. E of these there are three steps within the walling bordering Broom Road NS55220 56710.

Broom Cottage is shown on the 1st and 2nd OS maps, however a possible foundation of the original S edge of the west building is seen on the left side of Roddinghead Road at NS55137 56821 measuring 6.07m long x 0.3m high

Susan Hunter and Ken Mallard – Association of Certificated Field Archaeologists

(Source: DES Vol 21)

NS 54908 56691 to NS 54815 56712 Carriageway from Broom House to original stables and coach-house block. The carriageway starts to the NW of Broom House as shown on the 1856 and 1895 maps. It travelled in a westerly direction to a substantial sandstone ashlar bridge on the W side of today’s Broompark Drive. Much of the carriageway has been lost to extensive modern building in the area. The length of the bridge is 12.16m and it is 2.95m wide between the parapets, built of sandstone with similar architectural features to the pillars at Broom House and the gateway at the exit of the carriageway to the Ayr Road, although showing different sizing. The bridge is single arch and barrel vaulted with broached voussoirs. The carriageway continues through a small wooded area and passes the Stables and Coach House on its E side to the original exit onto the A77 Ayr Road to the N. This is an impressive sandstone opening with architectural features seen throughout the buildings of the original Broom Estate.

Susan Hunter and Ken Mallard – Association of Certificated Field Archaeologists

(Source: DES Vol 21)